It started with a simple message from an online dating site, where Scotty – an American living in Atlanta, Georgia – asked Vin – who grew up in the Philippines before moving to work as an architect in Atlanta – if he was a “foodie”.
“At first, I was offended,” Vin recalled with a smile. “(I associated being asked if I’m a) foodie with my figure.”
For Scotty, though, it was a way to tell Vin that “I found him cute.”
The chats continued; eventually leading to a date.
It was after the celebration of New Year, in the middle of winter, when Vin flew back from family vacation in Virginia to Atlanta. They decided to meet “on a cold night with freezing winds”.
“Our first date was in a sushi restaurant,” Scotty said. That night, for him, “marked the start of a very special connection.”
And from Day 1, Vin and Scotty were inseparable; so that months later, the two – in love and happy waking up in each others’ arms every day – moved in together. “I (now) live with Scotty and two adorable Russian Blue cats named Housey and Cherry,” Vin said.
The interests of the two aren’t necessarily (always) the same.
“My hobbies include riding my bike, truck and I take nutrition and fitness very seriously,” Scotty said. “I love summer and fall, so I like spending time in the beach and the mountains.”
As for Vin, “I love painting and cooking.”
A “common ground”, if you may, is the love for going to the gym.
“We plan to stay together for many years to come,” said Scotty.
In fact, they already introduced each other to their respective families. Fortunately, they haven’t encountered objections regarding their relationship, since both their families, as well as their employers “embrace diversity and the LGBT community.”
The two are aware of their “privilege” – i.e. as Scotty said that since they are in the US, “we are free to marry if we choose.”
As such, they encourage other LGBT people, particularly those in places where their human rights are not respected, to “fight for it.”
“Love is unconditional. I never thought that I would fall in love with someone who is very different from me,” Vin said. And so “we encourage everybody to fight for LGBT (people’s) right to love. Someday, hopefully Filipino (LGBT people) can marry.”
As for Scotty, since even LGBT people love, just as heterosexual people do, “we only want to live ‘normal’, as straight couples who are in love do.”
And at least with each other, being with someone you love is the norm for Vin and Scotty.
